How to Remove Background Noise from Audio or Video

To remove background noise, open the Audio Noise Reducer, add the audio or video file, choose a strength — Light, Medium or Strong — and press Reduce noise. The tool measures the steady background sound (hiss, fans, air conditioning, computer hum) and turns it down while keeping the voice. Compare Before and After, then download. Videos keep their picture untouched.

Reduce noise step by step

1. Open the Audio Noise Reducer.
2. Add the file — MP3, WAV, M4A and other audio, or a video (MP4, MOV, WebM).
3. Choose the strength:
   • Light — the most natural sound; removes gentle hiss.
   • Medium — a good default for most recordings.
   • Strong — removes more noise, but voices can start to sound slightly "underwater".
4. Tick the extras that apply:
   • Remove rumble — low thumps from wind, handling and traffic.
   • Remove mains hum — the 50/60 Hz buzz from electrical interference and cheap cables.
   • Even out the volume — sets a podcast-standard loudness.
5. Press Reduce noise. The tool reports the background noise level it measured.
6. Listen to Before and After. Too much? Change the settings and press Clean again with these settings.
7. Download the result.

What it can and can't remove

Works well on steady noise:

• Computer and laptop fans, air conditioning, fridges.
• Microphone hiss and preamp noise.
• Electrical hum and buzz.
• Constant room tone and distant traffic rumble.

Can't fully remove sudden or changing sounds:

• Dogs barking, doors slamming, keyboard clicks.
• Other people talking, music or TV in the background.
• Heavy echo in a bare room.

For those, the best fix is recording again in a quieter spot — or cutting the worst moments out with the Audio Splitter.

Choosing the strength

Start with Medium and listen on headphones. If the voice sounds thin, metallic or watery, step down to Light. If noise is still obvious between sentences, try Strong. Noise reduction is always a trade-off: removing every last bit of hiss usually damages the voice more than leaving a little.

A quick routine for podcasts and voice-overs

1. Record a few seconds of silence before you start talking — it gives the tool a clean sample of the room's noise to measure.
2. Reduce noise at Medium with Remove rumble ticked.
3. Tick Even out the volume so the episode is at a standard loudness.
4. Listen to a minute with headphones before publishing.

Prevent noise next time

• Get close to the microphone — 15–30 cm. The voice gets louder; the room doesn't.
• Turn off fans and air conditioning while recording.
• Soft rooms sound better: curtains, carpets, sofas and wardrobes absorb echo.
• Use the right input: a headset or USB microphone beats a laptop's built-in microphone.
• Use noise suppression while recording: the Voice Recorder has a Clean up my voice option.

Cleaning the sound of a video

Add the video directly — the picture is copied untouched and only the sound is cleaned, so there's no loss in picture quality. Afterwards, if the voice is still quiet, boost it with Change Video Volume or tick Even out the volume.

Privacy

Everything runs in your browser using ffmpeg (WebAssembly). Your recordings — interviews, meetings, personal voice notes — never leave your device.

Frequently asked questions

Will it remove music from my video?

No — music isn't steady noise. It may be slightly affected, but it won't be removed.

What output format do I get?

Choose under Save as: MP3, WAV, M4A or FLAC for audio files. Videos are saved as MP4 with the cleaned sound. For other formats, convert afterwards with the Audio Converter.

Can I reduce noise on my phone?

Yes, in a mobile browser. Long files take longer on phones; short clips are quick.